San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-07-21
1dsr The Impressed last saturday that tie,

understood the message TO mt.an and why
she did not now think Ernest the author OF
Il This caused great sensation. The
strange cipher advertisement was a fact
quite new 10 the general public
do understand you 10 think, then, Miss
Maunder, that the person, whoever he was,
who inserted this advertisement, was also
the murderer
II don't know" she faltered. Then with
courage: "Yes, do think So"
lie smiled calmly as he looked round. Ii
was evident he thought nothing Of the girls
theory, but believed Crisp to be BON author
and murderer. Others In court also smiled
and shook their heads. Her Idea was too
complex and far-fetched for them. They
could not swallow ii, In vulgar phrase.
She was taken then through the events OF
the Saturday afternoon, and examined par
ticularly as TO the prisoners statement about
the deceased. Afterward the solicitor for
the defense, we'll known to be employed by
Mr.. Parkman, drew from her all that might
tell in the prisoners favor; and then, casting
one long, loving look OF comfort at her lover,
Ethel sat down. She had told the truth; she
had perfect trust now in the wisdom OF the
law.
Two or three important witnesses follow
ed, the medical evidence succeeded these,
and then Mr.. Parkman was called. As he
took of his glove many sympathiZlng CLAN
ces were cast at his handsome figure and
grave face. What a'trouble and annoyance
1t must have been to him! What loss to be
deprived of his two chief employees at oncel
And then how rich he was said to be; and
almost fashionable, too, for was he not GO
ing to be married to the Hon. Sylvestra
Hautban? Even the Lord Mayor could hard
ly refrain from leaning forward in great
oak chair to look his sympathy.
1.-THE prisoner has been clerk in the en-
ployment of your firm for nearly fourteen
years, Mr. Parkman?" That was the first
quotation of any interest
HE has. He has been a most faithful,
steady and upright man in all his dealings
with us"
This was gallant testimony, but what
could it avail against facts? 1t only evoked
look of warm gratSude from the prisoner.
Mr.. Parkman then went on to tell what he
knew of HE differences between Critchlow
and the prisoner, and the unfriendly men
ton of the cashier, which Crisp had made in
their last conversation. But he told this so
reluctantly that the examining barrister was
struck by his bias in the prisoners favor,
and asked him with smile: And do you
think that the same person inserted the ad-
vertisement and committed the murderp'
The witness paused; it was clear that he
had no doubt that his protege was guilty of
the one and the other, for he faltered and
passed his hand over his brow. Then he said,
~ do"
"And so do l." said the counsel dryly,
and was about TO sit down with that quip in
his mouth when there was hustle at the
door. Some glanced that way impatiently,
and some expectantiy; what was the express
sion of Mr.. Parkman's face it was hard to
say. 1t was almost a baffied, hunted look
that came into his light blue eyes, and the
hand which he raised to stroke hts muStache
scarcely hid an odd contraction of his mouth.
The noise ceased as burly man pushed his
way through the crowd to the table. He
seemed to be some one of importance, for
the counsel paused in the act of sitting
down, and lent willing ear to his whisper.
Ihen hurried and seemingly exciting con-
ference went on between these two and the
solicitor for the defense and one or two 9TH
ers-sO exciting that expectation was raised
to a very high pitch, and at length the Lord
Mayor, unable to bear it longer, said Have
you any more questions for this witness, Mr.
BanckwOrthP
Thus recalled to himself, Mr.. BanCkwOrth
rose from his STOPPING position, and seemed
to hesitate. Finally he said. with an air of
reluctance: Yes, my Lord fear l have.
Mr.. Parkman, did understand you to give
1t as your opinion that whoever inserted
that advertisement committed this murder|'
A strange pause, then, In an equally
strange, hOaTSe tone: Yes"
''Is that" holding up a Russia-leather
biotting case filled with green blOtting pa
paper, ''the blOtting case you use in your
library at Richmond|'
1t sounded, apart from the sudden prOduc-
ton of the case, a harmless question enough.
And yet how was it that through all that
crowded court every one felt the terrible
nature Of the silence which followed? Was
that ordinary looking case a gOrgOn'S head,
that at sight of it the perspiratiOn should
spring in great beads 10 the witness fore
head, and his mouth should writhe in vain
attempt to speak. He couldn't. He couldn't
In the end he only nodded.
Then can you explain tle lawyer asked
solemnly, chow it happens that upon page
of this blOtting paper there appears in print
ed characters a reverse impression OF the
latter part of this ADVERTISEMENT
The crisis had come. the worst had hap
pened; and yet even now some Good plausi-
bic reason might avail him. Now was the
time for ready brain and steady pulse Now;
but now all these were wanting! He glared
around him for a moment on the sea of
faces, grasped wildly at his throat and fell
10 the floor of the box in a tit.
mi n thrill NJ Suah aanGptinO few in
that court had ever experienced they bore
him out to an adjoining room. But he was
dead before they could bring a doctor to him.
That mOment-and heaven knows what of
bitter antcipatiOn-had been his punishment
in this world.
Peters, it appeared, had gone down to see
him at Richmond, and while waiting in the
library had in the instructive pursuit of his
profession turned over the leaves of the blot
ting book. The cipher caught his eye; but
the merchant entering that moment, 1t was
not until he left for town that Peters could
get into the house again, confirm his impress
sion, and with his strange, piece of evidence
follow to London by later train.
For few hours after the merchants death
it seemed one of those mOtiveless murders
that upset all calculation. But among his
papers was found the key. He had lost
great sums by deep play at West end club
His father was then Ill, his needs were most
pressing. He had already far exceeded his
right to draw upon the firm; to get more he
deposited forged acceptances. At his fathers
death the cashier discovered this, and
though the junior partner was now able to
refund the money, Critchlow held the forger
les In terTOrem over him. Parkman, secIe-
IL